The Note
by MrsChaucersSquire
Summary: Spoilers for Agent Afloat. Tony gets lonely on the boat. What will cheer him up?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Thanks to Kejfe Blintz for her awesome job as a beta. Her improvements made this story readable.

"Hi Abby"

"Tony!" Abby squealed into the phone. It had been three weeks since he had shipped out, and she had missed him a lot. "It's so good to hear from you. How are you doing?"

"The food sucks, there's not nearly enough women around, and I'm not allowed to date those that are." Tony replied unhappily. "This tour is going to suck."

"Not so good then?" Abby questioned.

"Sorry, not in a great mood today. But, I'm surviving. I miss everyone there. How is everyone? How are you? Is McGeek enjoying his geek job?" Abby was surprised he was asking about McGee, she knew Tony cared but he rarely showed it. The transfer to the ship must be really getting to him.

"I'm fine, except for missing the three musketeers. McGee's not great, he misses field work a lot and misses being on a team. It kinda gets him down, not that he'd admit it."

Tony sighed in response.

"What about the Bossman and Ducky? Have you heard from Ziva?" Tony questioned.

"Gibbs has been really crabby lately. I don't think he likes his new team, they screw up a lot. And Ducky has been really busy because Palmer is taking extra classes this semester. I haven't talked to Ziva, but McGee has. She misses us too."

"We all miss you Tony."

"I miss you too Abs."

"Do you miss McGee and Gibbs and Ducky and Ziva too?"

"I miss everyone, I'm just not sure they miss me" he admitted softly. Self-deprecation was one of Tony's bad habits when he felt depressed. He very rarely shared information like this, although Abby was his confidante.

"Tony" Abby scolded. "Of course they miss you. Gibbs really misses you."

"I don't think so." He replied very quietly.

"What the heck are you talking about? Of course he misses you."

"Abby, I killed the woman he…he cared a lot about." Abby could hear the pain in his voice.

"Tony, you did NOT! Take that back!" she demanded.

"Abs, he's mad at me. I know it. I feel like I've been sent back to military school all over again."

"Gibbs didn't send you away, Vance did. Gibbs misses you. A LOT." Abby reinforced.

"How's bowling going? Is your tournament over yet?" Tony asked, clearly changing the subject. Normally Abby would have objected to the avoidance tactic; however she was quite astounded at how quickly Tony had opened up to how he felt. She decided to let him change the subject and to attack this problem from another angle – the Gibbs angle.

Abby dialled Gibbs' desk, barely waiting for him to respond before she demanded, "Gibbs, I need you to come down to the lab, right now."

"I'll be right down Abs." Gibbs headed to the elevator, pondering what she needed him so urgently for. They had no active cases so it had to be something personal.

As Gibbs walked through the door of her lab, Abby began talking at lightening speed before he even had a chance to ask why she had called.

"I just got off the phone with Tony and he's really depressed and really wants to come home. He misses everyone and thinks you hate him, Gibbs you have to tell him you don't hate him! He feels like you sent him away to military school and I told him it was Vance's fault but he didn't listen. He thinks you're mad at him because you aren't trying to get him home. You have to do something Gibbs."

"Abs…" Gibbs tried to interject.

"I mean it Gibbs. I know it might take some time to fix everything with the Evil Sith Lord in control of NCIS, but you have to make sure Tony knows you care or he's going to think you're just like his father. You have to tell him you care. He thinks he's all alone and nobody wants him and you hate him because he killed the Director. I mean, he didn't kill the Director but he kinda feels like he did because he didn't stop it, but you don't hate him for that, do you? Ducky said she was sick and going to die anyway so you can't hate Tony for that."

"I don't hate Tony." Gibbs affirmed softly.

"Good, then do something. I've got his contact information…you could call him, or email him or mail him a postcard. He already sent me a postcard, see?"

Gibbs nodded and took the contact information Abby was holding out for him before turning and heading back to the elevator.

That night, Gibbs thought about what to do for Tony. He didn't really feel comfortable calling or emailing. To tell the truth, he was still somewhat annoyed at Tony for losing track of Jenny before she got killed, but he did not believe for a second it was Tony's fault that she died. Jen made her choice and now he knew why. As he worked on his boat, he contemplated just how to communicate with Tony.

Tony was excited when he received the envelope in the mail. The return address said only NCIS. He figured it was probably from Abby, he had sent her a couple of postcards since shipping out.

He ripped open the envelope once he got to his office and immediately knew it wasn't from Abby. It contained a photograph and a post-it note. The post-it note covered the photo and said only 'Chin up DiNozzo'

He instantly knew who the note was from. Awed at the fact that Gibbs had taken the time to mail him something, Tony removed the post-it and looked at the photo. A dock stood empty, surrounded by water. It looked familiar, and after a moment Tony realised what he was looking at. It was a very recent photo of the dock he had pulled Gibbs and Maddy onto when their car had gone into the water. That day, Tony had been terrified when he realised neither Maddy nor Gibbs were breathing, but relieved when both began to breathe after he administered mouth-to-mouth.

He flipped the photo over to find a single word written in black marker on the back of it. 'Forever'.

Gibbs had always been a man of few words, but by sending Tony only four words and a photograph he had effectively communicated his affection to Tony. It had been a long three weeks since he had been shipped out to sea. Most of the time he had felt alone and abandoned, but now Tony knew his boss cared and had not abandoned him. Gibbs was counting on him to keep a good attitude and he was going to do it. Tony was going to keep his chin up, because Gibbs told him to. It was a direct order.

Immediately, Tony hung the photo on the wall, took out a pen and paper and began to work on his reply.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony began writing a letter to his boss. He found the beginning easy.

_Hey Boss,_

_How are you? I suppose that's the proper way to start this letter. How is your new team? I'm okay. Well, not really okay, but surviving. I don't like living on a boat. I bet as a Marine you never had to live on a boat. Is that why you chose the Marines instead of the Navy? Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the note._

Tony's pen paused on the paper as he considered what to say next. He wasn't the type to share his feelings, especially on paper where there would be proof of what he had said. However, he was very thankful for the note he had received. The fact that his boss had written 'Forever' on the back of the picture meant a lot to him. As he considered what to write next, Tony remembered the conversation Gibbs was alluding to.

Two weeks after he had saved Gibbs and Maddie from drowning, Gibbs had been to visit Tony in the hospital. It was ironic that after nearly drowning Gibbs had been released from hospital, and Tony was still tied to a hospital bed. The dive had been bad on his plague-damaged lungs, and hospitalization was the only way to make him rest while they healed. When Tony felt well, Gibbs visiting cheered him up. However, when Tony felt really sick, Gibbs visiting made him feel useless and worthless. What good was a sickly Federal Agent to a boss who demanded perfection? That day, Tony had felt horrible. However, he still put on a happy show for his boss. Of course, Gibbs saw right through his act. Tony plastered a grin on his face anyway and forced a jolly tone into his voice.

"So Boss, are you keeping the kids in line with me gone?"

"They're too busy to get into trouble." Gibbs replied. "When you going to get your ass out of here so we can catch up?"

Gibbs meant to push, but he didn't realise he had pushed just the topic Tony had been worrying about.

"When you going to kick this invalid off your team and get an agent who can keep up with you?" Tony's response was defensive.

Gibbs became serious and he moved into Tony's personal space.

"You are mine forever Tony…whether or not you can keep up with me."

Tony responded, again in the forced jovial tone. "I don't know Boss, you shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

Gibbs moved his hand onto Tony's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "Forever."

The tone of Gibbs voice was stern but the strength behind the statement took Tony's breath away. Before that moment in time he had never believed anyone would be there for him forever.

"Got it Boss." Tony replied honestly.

As the memory washed over him, he turned back to the letter at hand and continued writing. Tony had been wary of sharing his feelings with his boss, but his boss had promised him more than anyone else ever had. And Tony wanted Gibbs to understand what the promise had meant to him.

_Thank you for the memory, I'll write again soon._

_Keeping up with you,_

_Tony_

Tony knew Gibbs, and he knew Gibbs would understand the meaning behind the words in his letter; just as Tony had understood the meaning behind his bosses note.

He grabbed a postcard and started a message to Abby. The letter he had received had been pure Gibbs, but he knew Abby had been involved in giving his boss a little shove. Behind every good man is a young Goth girl reminding him of what is important.


End file.
